Result
Nassau Community College men's soccer continued its unbeaten season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Monroe University-Bronx on Tuesday, October 6, at Mitchel Field. Edgar Velazquez scored the game's lone goal in the 53rd minute, while goalkeeper Victord Lozano and the Lions' defense secured the shutout. With the victory, Nassau improved to 8-0-1 overall and 6-0-1 in conference play, while Monroe-Bronx fell to 8-3-1 overall and 8-1-0 in conference competition.
Defensively, Lozano delivered another strong performance in net, making two second-half saves to secure the shutout. The Lions' defensive unit remained composed under pressure, particularly after being reduced to 10 players in the final minutes.
How It Happened
Nassau established an aggressive offensive presence early in the first half, creating several scoring opportunities within the opening minutes. Velazquez registered the Lions' first shot in the seventh minute, but his attempt was blocked by the Monroe-Bronx defense. Just seconds later, Andy Gonzalez sent a shot over the crossbar before Velazquez followed with another attempt that went wide in the ninth minute.
The Lions continued applying pressure, with Benjamin Perez directing a header on goal in the 10th minute that was saved by Monroe-Bronx goalkeeper Kimany Arzu. Nassau maintained its attacking momentum with corner kicks from Velazquez and Ismael Garcia in the 13th and 15th minutes, respectively.
Mohamed Alsayedi added to Nassau's offensive opportunities in the 31st minute, forcing another save from Arzu. Raymond Zavala followed with a blocked attempt in the 33rd minute, while Alsayedi registered another shot on goal in the 41st minute that was turned away by the Monroe-Bronx goalkeeper.
Despite controlling much of the offensive action, Nassau was unable to break through before halftime. The Lions outshot Monroe-Bronx 8-4 in the opening 45 minutes, including three shots on goal, but the teams entered the break tied 0-0.
Nassau wasted little time finding the breakthrough in the second half. After Garcia earned a corner kick in the 50th minute, the Lions continued searching for the opening goal. At the 52:59 mark, Velazquez found the back of the net, with Garcia and Adryan Campos credited with assists on the play. The goal gave Nassau a 1-0 advantage and ultimately proved to be the game-winner.
With the lead established, Nassau shifted its focus toward protecting the advantage while continuing to look for offensive opportunities. Alsayedi attempted to extend the lead in the 64th minute, but his shot sailed high.
Monroe-Bronx increased its offensive pressure as the second half progressed, attempting to find an equalizer. Maynor Palacios sent a header wide in the 72nd minute before Mamadou Bangoura recorded a shot on goal in the 84th minute. Lozano came up with the save to preserve Nassau's one-goal lead.
The Lions faced an additional challenge in the closing minutes when Perez received a red card at the 85:53 mark, forcing Nassau to finish the match with 10 players. Monroe-Bronx attempted to capitalize on the numerical advantage, but Brandon Loyola sent a shot high shortly after the dismissal.
With just one minute remaining in regulation, Bangoura delivered another shot on goal, but Lozano made his second save of the afternoon to preserve the shutout.
Nassau's defense held firm through the final moments, securing the 1-0 victory and extending the Lions' unbeaten start to the season.
Notes & Standout Performers
Stay up to date with Nassau athletics with live streams and stats at nassaulions.com/watch. Follow the Lions on Instagram and X at @lionsncc.
